No, not everyone can be the best. Not everyone can be the GOAT (Greatest of All-Time). There’s only one of those by definition. Aikido Founder O-Sensei Morihei Ueshiba is the GOAT. Yes, I’m a little biased. Michael Jordan is the GOAT. Tom Brady is the GOAT. Maybe, Lebron James and Patrick Mahomes join this conversation when they win one more Championship or two.
I’ve trained in Aikido for over 35 years. The late Mizukami Sensei, who taught me, was great. I’ve seen a lot of Aikido in my time. The greatest I’ve seen and experienced is Cognard Hanshi, who teaches me now. O-Sensei taught Kobayashi Sensei, who taught Hanshi. O-Sensei taught Tohei Sensei, who taught Mizukami Sensei. Hanshi and Mizukami Sensei’s greatness came from the greatest, the GOAT. I’m grateful to be part of that lineage.
I’ll never be as great as Hanshi. Still, Ishibashi Sensei reminded, “If he can do it, it’s possible I can.” Ishibashi Sensei is greater than me, too. When Sensei teaches me Aikido, he often says, “If I can do it, you can do it.” Years ago, Mizukami Sensei said, “You don’t have to do it (Aikido) like I do.” I make Aikido work for me, make it my own.
Hanshi and Ishibashi Sensei inspire me to put in the work, just train to become greater than I am now. I might never be as great as them. Still, I work on myself, not on others. That’s all I can do. I can always be greater than I am. O-Sensei said, “True victory is victory over oneself.” I’m my greatest opponent. It’s only me against me.
I work on being the greatest that I can be. I give up my fear inside that I’m not good enough, over, and over, and over again. My fear inside may never go away. Every time I enter the attack, enter what I fear, I let go more of my fear inside me. I free myself. I’m greater in the moment.
Mizukami Sensei said, “Just train. It’s not like you have to get somewhere.” I put my head down. Put in the work. I practice Aikido technique over, and over, and over again. Practice makes the unnatural natural. I do what I need to and give up what I have to, to be the greatest that I can be. I’ll never be the GOAT. I follow my own path of greatness. I work becoming greater than I am.
For those, who follow their own path of greatness, their acknowledgement should be meaningful to them. I was the short fat clumsy kid and didn’t play any sports. I found my muse in Aikido, when Mom forced me to practice when I was 12 years old. Mom was very wise. After 35 years of Aikido, I’m Godan (5th degree black belt). I’m so grateful for Mom. Nothing, but mad love and respect.
I get the value in participation trophies for young kids in sports. Not everyone can be the best. Not everyone can be the greatest. Still, that kind of acknowledgment diminishes the purpose of sports in making kids better people. As Aikido Sensei, I inspire kids and teens to train hard, put in the work. It doesn’t matter how strong they are on the outside. What matters is having strength inside themselves and finding their quiet inside.
Regardless how big and strong the attacker is, I teach students to throw with their feeling out, throw from their one point, ki. They learn to let go their fear inside. Learn to be quiet inside. They work on themselves, not on others. That’s far more meaningful than getting a shiny participation trophy.
Everyone does the best they can. Sometimes, they just need to be reminded of that. Not everyone one can be the greatest. Everyone can be as great as they can be. There are no real flowers in saying, “You’re great.” That’s empty calorie meaningless praise. When 15-year-old Isabel threw me with her feeling out in yoko-iriminage (strike to the side of the head), I said, “That’s it.” Then I said, “Now do it, again.” That meaningful, something she can use to become greater.
On the journey to become as great as we can be, give others something meaningful, something they can use to become greater. It’s not all about me. It’s not all about you. Although not everyone can be the greatest, they can greater. Just train.
I’ll never be greatest. Those who are the greatest, those who are greater than me, inspire me to train to become the greatest that I can be. If they can do, I can do it. Just in my own way. I’m me, not them.
When I normalize others that diminishes in making them all the same. Everyone is different. Me too. I try to create the space for others to be as great as they can be, free to be their authentic selves. That’s what the late Mizukami Sensei and Ishibashi Sensei did me. I’m just passing that on. It’s about being greater, not so much being the greatest. Amen.
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